We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Melissa Schwimmer a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Melissa, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

In my early twenties, I was working as a Food Stylist and Culinary Producer in NYC. I had a pretty comfortable and stable job. My life was pretty routine. I would wake up, go to work, come home and maybe go out with friends when I had the energy. I loved the stability in my career but I always knew the work wasn’t fully aligned and my gut was screaming that there was more out there. In 2018, I quit my job and uprooted my entire life in New York to follow my intuiton and move across the country to Los Angeles. I didn’t know what I was in for and I had never lived away from friends and family before. This was one of the biggest risks I’ve taken where the motivation was solely and intrinsically a gut feeling. I moved to Los Angeles to push myself out of my comfort zone, to heal myself, grow and take a leap to start my own business. This was so scary going from a stable job to freelance work where you never know when the next client is coming. Years later, I still thank my gut for pushing me towards this life I absolutely love.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’ve always loved food. It’s a passionate, true love and borderline obsession. I’ve also always questioned and cared about where our food comes from and how it nourishes us. A Farmer’s Market regular before it was the cool thing to do on a Sunday, I had a deep interest in how our food was made and how it affected our bodies. And truth be told, I don’t know why! I didn’t grow up on a farm or even near one… I grew up in Brooklyn, New York where this love story begins.

I didn’t start my journey in the healing space but I have held jobs in the food industry from waitress, to cheesemonger— where I sold cheese and meats and could tell you almost everything about them—to food styling for a company in Manhattan called MacGuffin Films. There, I searched through thousands of sesame seeds to identify the perfect seven to top a McDonald’s cheeseburger. I’ve styled many food advertisements you’ve seen on television, social media, and in print. I then worked on the show The Kitchen on Food Network as a Culinary Producer where I wrote scripts, on-set styled out food, and worked with talent to create new recipes for the show. I’ve loved aspects of all of my jobs and they all taught me so much but I always knew my purpose wasn’t in making you want to buy a fast food burger.

Cut to my life in Los Angeles where I became a celebrity private chef amongst a handful of other side gigs…I mean, do you really live in LA if you don’t have six side hustles?

Currently I’m a private chef, food stylist (when the brand is in alignment with my values), holistic nutrition coach and I run wellness events and retreats. I fell into holistic nutrition in the last year because as much as I love cooking for my clients and nourishing people through my food I wanted to take it a step further. I feel called to teach people about how to feed their own bodies. In my coaching program, I work with clients on how to intuitively and mindfully consume food, how to slow down and show gratitude for the nourishment, and how to best feed your unique body to fuel your unique life.

I’ve always felt a calling to help heal our relationships to food. Especially in a world where whole, unprocessed foods are more expensive and less attainable than fast, junk food. I want to make an impact and change our food systems, starting with the individual. When we all eat well and practice gratitude, we feel better and can make a more positive impact on the world around us. I aim to make this community a healthier and happier one through my teachings and the food I create.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

I will always say this is one of the most important parts of being successful—relationships. Put yourself out there, connect with people and be a part of a community. The more people you can connect with, that will have you in mind for an opportunity or a job, the better. Always stay in touch, show up, and be top of mind.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I am always on time, responsible, super hard working and I enjoy what I do immensely. I make incredible meals and I’m always excited about food. I listen to my clients and take their individual needs into consideration first and foremost. I also believe passion for what you do will create a buzz. If you love what you do and genuinely want to make a difference your clients will feel and taste that.

Contact Info:

• Website: melissaschwimmer.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realschwimshady/?hl=en

Image Credits
@lapechelife photographer of the bold colored images